These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 27, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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DEATH SENTENCE SUSPENDED
Death sentence which escalated tension among coalition partners will not be brought onto parliamentary agenda within framework of the second package of reforms. A member of the Council of Ministers said, ''it is too early to fulfil medium-term commitments to the European Union (EU). Therefore, we have suspended death sentence.'' The government will first make the necessary arrangement about life imprisonment. Then, annulment of death sentence in the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and in other laws will be brought onto agenda.
ANKARA'S CONDITIONS FOR COMMAND OF ISAF
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who told British Prime Minister Tony Blair that Turkey did not give up taking over command of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF), met with other coalition partners. During the meeting in which State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP); State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP); State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan; Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu were in attendance, Turkey's conditions to take over command of the ISAF were determined. The first of these conditions is provision of financial support to Turkey. The government wants its allies, especially the United States and Britain, not to leave Turkey alone in the region. Turkey will not be involved any hot clashes.
CAKMAKOGLU: ''PKK'S POLITICIZATION CANNOT BE ACCEPTED''
National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said, ''we cannot accept politicization of a terrorist organization.'' During his meeting with Defense Minister Federico Trillo Figuero, Cakmakoglu told reporters, ''our opinions are clear. We cannot accept politicization of a terrorist organization. Political parties in Turkey can carry out political activities within borders enabled by the laws.''
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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ECEVIT GETS BETTER
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who was diagnosed as ''Myastenia'' three months ago, received a successful medical treatment and got better. Prime Minister Ecevit was treated by worldwide famous Prof. Dr. Turgut Zileli from the Harvard University. Sources said that neither his ilness nor the medical treatment affected Prime Minister Ecevit's working schedule.
ECEVIT: ''PKK AND DHKP-C SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN EU'S LIST''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit received Defense Minister Federico Trillo Figuero of Spain who is currently in Turkey on an official visit. During the meeting, Prime Minister Ecevit expressed his uneasiness about the European Union's (EU) decision not to include terrorist organization PKK and illegal Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) in its list of terrorist organizations. Figuero said that they would do their utmost to include PKK and DHKP-C in the list of terrorist organizations during Spain's EU term presidency.
KECECILER IN A DANGEROUS POINT
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), felt uneasy about State Minister Mehmet Kececiler who said in a statement that they would overwhelm terrorist organization PKK in general elections. He called Kececiler on the phone, and expressed his anger. Kececiler tried to correct his mistake by saying, ''these are my personal views. These views do not bind the ANAP.'' Some circles claimed that Kececiler would be dismissed.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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''I CAME TO TURKEY TO STAY FOR ONLY THREE MONTHS''
State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy told the story of his coming to Turkey. He said, ''Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit called me on the phone, and told me that Turkish economy had entered a difficult period. He asked me whether I want to help them. I responded his invitation in the affirmative. Before leaving for Turkey, I called some of my friends on the phone and asked them how they succeeded in overcoming economic crisis in their countries. I was aiming at staying for three months in Turkey. However, when I realized the serious conditions in economy, I wanted to undertake responsibility.''
EU PLAYS A DANGEROUS PLAY
The European Parliament has been putting pressure on Turkey to reach compromise with Armenia on the issue of so-called Armenian genocide. The European Parliament will debate ''Caucasus Report'' today, and vote the report tomorrow. The European Parliament plans to call on Turkey to reach compromise with Armenia on the issue of so-called genocide.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TAKES ACTION FOR HADEP
The European Parliament is getting prepared to take a recommendatory decision in order to support the People's Democracy Party (HADEP). A lawsuit was filed against HADEP for its closure. The European Parliament has appointed a seven-member delegation to watch the trial of HADEP that will start on March 1.
TURKEY-UNITED STATES ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP COMISSION MEETING STARTS
Turkey-the United States Economic Partnership Commission meetings started in Ankara yesterday. Speaking at the meeting, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said, ''both Turkey and the United States have benefits and concerns that are parallel with each other. Turkish economy needs urgent solutions in the short term.'' Meanwhile, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Alan Larson for Economic, Commercial and Agricultural Affairs said participation of private sector dynamic in many fields would halp Turkish economy to develop.
45 PEOPLE DETAINED
Security forces detained 45 people who tried to deliver a petition demanding Kurdish-language education for their children in primary schools to the Istanbul office of the Education Ministry. Security forces took tight security measures in Sultanahmet and Beyazit squares to prevent any possible attempt to hold a demonstration. More than 200 people have been detained so far in actions held within framework of the campaign for education in mother tongue.
ERDAL'S CASE ADJOURNED
As judicial process about trial of Fehriye Erdal, a member of the illegal Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), in Belgium on charges of crimes she committed in Turkey, has been continuing, Belgian Supreme Court of Appeals decided at Tuesday morning's session to adjourn the case to April 16, 2002. Erdal, one of the suspects of killing of Sabanci Holding Automotive Group Chairman Ozdemir Sabanci, Toyoto-Sa Director General Haluk Gorgun and secretary Nilgun Hasefe on January 9, 1996, was captured in Belgium on September 26, 1999 with a false passport arranged in the name of Nese Yildirim.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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NEW LIFE IMPRISONMENT WORSE THAN DEATH SENTENCE
According to the new draft law submitted to the Council of Ministers, life imprisonment will be given instead of death sentence. Those who were sentenced to life imprisonment will stay in prisons at least 30 years. Prisoners can be given cell punishments for years.
KORKMAZ CAPTURED
Mahmut Korkmaz, one of the suspects of killing of seven students who had been members of Turkey Workers' Party (TIP), in Bahcelievler district of Ankara in 1978, was captured in eastern province of Erzincan. Korkmaz was arrested and put into prison in Erzincan.
NUMBER OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS DECREASES BY 37.3 PERCENT
Number of traffic accidents decreased by 37.3 percent in the five-day religious holiday compared to previous holidays. Directorate General of Security said that 52 traffic accidents occurred between February 21 and 25 in which 58 people were killed and 101 others were injured. 24 of these accidents happened in city centers while the remaining 34 occurred outside settlement units. Number of traffic accidents decreased by 37.3 percent, death toll dropped by 55 percent and number of injured reduced by 48.7 percent during this year's five-day religious holiday.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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DEATH SENTENCE HIGH ON AGENDA OF NSC MEETING
The National Security Council (NSC) will convene at the Cankaya Presidential Palace under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The monthly routine meeting of the NSC is expected to focus on death sentence. During the meeting, the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) will insist on annulment of death sentence.
LEADERS DISCUSS COMMAND OF ISAF
Leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government came together at a summit meeting at the Prime Ministry Office. At the meeting, Turkey's taking over command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan was taken up.
''YOU MISUNDERSTOOD ME''
State Minister Mehmet Kececiler said that his words about the terrorist organization PKK were misunderstood. ''When I said, 'separatists should come and enter the political life instead of carrying out activities in the mountains,' I did not mean that the PKK should form a political party with their members who are in the mountains today,'' he said. He defended himself saying, ''under the present Constitution, the indivisibility of the Turkish nation and the state cannot even be debated. What I meant to say was that people should try to express their opinions through politics instead of killing people with guns. They should accept our Constitution and they should enter the Turkish politics after the Political Parties Law is passed.''
ICY ROAD CLAIM SIX LIVES
Two passenger buses, three automobiles and two tankers collided with each other near northwestern province of Duzce due to icy road. Six people lost their lives and 21 others were injured in the accident.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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SOCIAL INITIATIVES TO BE SUPPORTED
The government has decided to support social initiatives in order to prevent a possible social eruption. Social initiatives especially in the sector of agriculture will be supported through the Poverty Fund. The government called on non-governmental organizations to produce new projects.
''ANAP WILL NEVER COOPERATE WITH HADEP''
The Motherland Party (ANAP) expressed its uneasiness about allegations saying that the ANAP would cooperate with the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) during the next general elections. ANAP Group Deputy Chairman Gokbulut said, ''even the moon and the sun can come side by side, but ANAP will never cooperate with HADEP.''